VINCENT BOLLORE UPS AEGIS STAKE AGAIN

Latest Buy Gives Him 19.15% Total

PARIS (AdAge.com) -- Vincent Bollore’s stake in Aegis Group continues to inch up as Bollore Group announced today in Paris the acquisition of another 630,000 shares in Aegis, bringing his holdings to 19.15% from 19.10% a day earlier.

Speculation is growing that Mr. Bollore’s next step will be to seek a seat on Aegis’ board of directors. Earlier this year, when his stake in Havas reached 20%, he began demanding a seat but was opposed by then Chairman-CEO Alain de Pouzilhac. Mr. Bollore ended up with four board seats, Mr. de Pouzilhac left the company after losing that battle, and Mr. Bollore is now chairman of Havas.

Executives familiar with Aegis said Mr. Bollore would find it more difficult to get a seat for himself or his supporters on the board of Aegis because Aegis shareholders would not be eager for the chairman of a rival group to sit on their company’s board.

Havas is the parent of ad network Euro RSCG and media services agency MPG, which competes with Aegis' media company Carat.